Following his incredible performance in the Europa League final, Ademola Lookman has expressed his deep satisfaction and happiness at being a member of the Nigerian national team. The gifted forward recently discussed his genuine feelings about representing Nigeria in an interview, emphasizing the importance and joy it provides for his career. The Atalanta attacker made history on Wednesday by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the Europa League final with an incredible display.

His outstanding performance helped his club surprise everyone by defeating the favored Bayer Leverkusen 3-0. The forward, who has contributed 23 goals to the Serie A team this season and has found his footing in Italy, had an incredible season that was topped off by this amazing accomplishment. Lookman was born and reared in England and competed for England at the youth level before moving to Nigeria. Before moving up to the Under-20 squad, where he had his biggest achievement—winning the Under-20 World Cup with England in 2017—he had five appearances for the Under-19 side. He made 15 appearances for the Under-20 squad, scoring five goals.

His outstanding performance helped his club surprise everyone by defeating the favored Bayer Leverkusen 3-0. The forward, who has contributed 23 goals to the Serie A team this season and has found his footing in Italy, had an incredible season that was topped off by this amazing accomplishment. Lookman was born and reared in England and competed for England at the youth level before moving to Nigeria. Before moving up to the Under-20 squad, where he had his biggest achievement—winning the Under-20 World Cup with England in 2017—he had five appearances for the Under-19 side. He made 15 appearances for the Under-20 squad, scoring five goals.

It's amazing to represent Nigeria in sports. The love and support I receive from the people back home is incredible. Following his valiant performance in Wednesday's Europa League final, Lookman told UEFA, "It motivates me to evolve in different areas – as a person, not just in my game."

Since my parents are from Nigeria, I've always believed that this might be the beginning of my country's ascent to the ranks of football greats, along with Messi and Neymar. makes a compelling case for CAF Player of the Year Lookman's exceptional play this season has solidified his status as one of the best players in African football. Lookman, an AFCON silver medallist, was a key member of the Super Eagles team, contributing an assist and three goals in the competition. His outstanding performances brought him attention; he was named to the tournament's squad of the tournament and once again won the AFCON Man of the Match award, underscoring his influence on the Nigerian national team.

Lookman has shown to be as impressive at the club level. He was an important member of the Atalanta team and led them to the Copa Italia and Europa League finals. Notably, Lookman proved he could perform well on the European scene when he scored a hat-trick to help Atalanta overcome Bayer Leverkusen and win the Europa League. The Nigerian international's three goals for Atalanta were the sixth-highest total in a significant UEFA Cup. It was the first to be scored in a UEFA Cup/Europa League final since Jupp Heynckes' goal for Borussia Mönchengladbach against FC Twente in 1975. Lookman's outstanding accomplishments, both individually and collectively, make him a clear favorite to win the coveted CAF Player of the Year 

After defeating Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk ascended to the heavyweight division's top. In their fight in Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian fighter defeated Fury by split decision, establishing himself as the undisputed champion in the blue-riband category for the first time since Lennox Lewis did it in 1999.

Though there are doubts about Usyk's height, he has established himself as the division's monarch despite becoming the cruiserweight title and going down in history. following the match, the publication revealed their most recent top ten, with Usyk at the top of the list. Despite losing the WBC championship and his perfect record to "The Cat," Fury is still ranked below the champion and will have another chance at redemption in October.

Joseph Parker comes in second following his convincing victory over Deontay Wilder, while Anthony Joshua completes the top three as he looks to challenge the top two boxers.

After Parker's incredible shock win over Frank Sanchez, Agit Kabayel comes in second, followed by Zhilei Zhang, Filip Hrgovic, and American star Jared Anderson, who rounds out the top seven after Usyk. The set is completed by British player Joe Joyce, who ranks eighth after making a comeback against Derek Chisora. Veteran players Wilder and Daniel Dubois complete the list.

1 Tyson Fury

2: Anthony Joshua

3: Joseph Parker

4: Agit Kabayel

5: Zhilei Zhang

6: Filip Hrgovic

7: Jared Anderson

8: Joe Joyce

9: Deontay Wilde r#1

10: Daniel Dubois

Given that Usyk has destroyed the best athletes in the classification with his overwhelming performances, it is not surprising that he is ranked #1.

Additionally, the same journal has placed him as the best boxer per pound, surpassing unbeaten super-bantamweight Terence Crawford and super-bantamweight Naoya Inoue.  The division is in an intriguing moment right now, with movement anticipated regularly, particularly with Wilder facing Zhang and Hrgovic facing Dubois on June 1. If the 'Gypsy King' is to reverse his loss, he will have a steep uphill climb ahead of him, but he might regain his position of supremacy.

Even though Usyk would be the favorite in any upcoming rematch with Fury, Carl Froch has advised Usyk to forego the fight and retire instead. He stated, "I think the only thing Usyk will do is retire; he will either have the rematch or retire," on talkSPORT's "The Verdict" podcast with George Groves. He has nothing to demonstrate. He has already defeated Tyson Fury and defeated AJ twice. For me, he is the generational great. As the pack's leader, Usyk is the primary figure.

You'll look back on this generation of heavyweights and say, 'Oleksandr Usyk is the major one, he's dominated,'"I think he should retire since he's accomplished everything, made enough money, perfected the sport, and finished boxing."Nothing further needs to be done. undefeated heavyweight and cruiserweight, 37 years old and almost 40. "He's finished boxing, put down the gloves, and turn it in. I would advise him to do that."

Derek Chisora has expressed misgivings about the Usyk vs. Fury rematch, in the meanwhile. Del Boy claims to have heard "rumors" that Usyk plans to return to cruiserweight for his upcoming bout; however, it's unclear how much truth is in the rumor at this time.

Chisora told Boxing Social, "There's no point bothering with a rematch because the undisputed is done," alluding to the likelihood that Usyk will lose the IBF title. "I heard a rumor, I'm going to start this rumor anyway," he said. Oleksandr is becoming lighter, closer to cruiserweight. That's the rumor right now."

The 36 state governors have been hauled before the Supreme Court by the federal government for alleged misbehavior in Local Government Area management. According to a lawsuit brought by Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Justice, and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), all local government regions in the nation are to have complete autonomy.   In the lawsuit, the federal government requested that the Supreme Court issue a directive that would forbid state governors from removing democratically elected local government leaders in a unilateral, capricious, or illegal manner. Through their respective Attorneys General, the 36 states' governors were sued.

If a state does not implement a democratically elected local government system, it also applies for an order of injunction prohibiting the governors, their representatives, and privies from accepting, using, or interfering with money released from the federation account for the benefit of local governments.   The Federal Government claimed that Nigeria, as a federation, was created by the 1999 Constitution as amended, with the president serving as the head of the federal executive branch and taking an oath to defend and carry out the provisions of the constitution. This claim was made in support of the lawsuit on 27 different grounds. The federal government informed the Supreme Court that the executive governors of the federation, who have also pledged to obey the constitution, represent the component states via their governors.

According to this, the Nigerian constitution recognizes three levels of government: the federal, state, and local levels. These levels of government rely on the federation account that the constitution established to support their operations.   ‘’That the local government system must be democratically elected by the constitution's provisions, and that the constitution does not provide any provisions for alternative local government governance systems. That the governors have failed to implement a democratically elected local government system in defiance of the explicit requirements of the constitution, even in cases where no state of emergency has been proclaimed to justify the suspension of democratic institutions.

The governors' refusal to implement a locally elected democratic system of governance is a purposeful violation of the 1999 constitution, which they and the president have pledged to protect. That there has been no progress in getting the governors to implement the 1999 constitution's requirements for a democratically elected local government system, and that it would be improper to continue giving governors money from the federation account for a democratically elected local government that does not yet exist to compromise the integrity of the 1999 constitution.   

That the federal government is not required by section 162 of the constitution to pay any state, monies standing to the credit of local governments when no democratically elected local government is in place, in light of the 1999 constitutional infractions. The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for May 30.

Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the Imo State governorship election winner by the Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Friday, May 24.  The Labour Party (LP) and its candidate for governor, Athan Achonu, had their case denied by the tribunal that rendered its decision in Abuja. 

The three-member panel of the tribunal found that Uzodimma's election as governor of Imo State met substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act, according to a unanimous ruling issued by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay.  The tribunal also decided that the Labour Party's petition's claims of excessive voting and Electoral Act violations were not supported by sufficient evidence. 

In the Europa League Final, where Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta takes on the undefeated Bayer Leverkusen, it is evident that La Dea has returned to prominence in Europe after a few years away.  The 2023–2024 campaign is often regarded as Atalanta's finest under Gian Piero Gasperini. The team not only qualified for and won the Champions League again, but they also advanced to the Coppa Italia final and—this evening!—made history by winning the club's first-ever European final. They have perhaps had more opportunities to win awards this season than any other in recent memory. Even if their defeat by Max Allegri's Juventus in the Coppa Italia final was somewhat heartbreaking, they still have this week to make history and take home a trophy. 

Furthermore, context is essential, particularly in light of La Dea's identity and recent past. Losing players regularly is nothing new for Atlanta, as seen by events from last summer and beyond. With his career lighting fire, Rasmus Højlund went for Manchester United, while late in the window, the fans' favorite at Bergamo, Duván Zapata, moved for Torino. Luis Muriel moved for the Major League Soccer later in January, and Jeremie Boga left for Ligue 1 in the summer. With the players they could recruit and the resources at their disposal, the Bergamo-based team only needed to reorganize their assault. Nevertheless, Atalanta is accustomed to this procedure. 

The club has become one of the more well-known Italian faces in Europe thanks to its distinct playing style, strategic approach, and recruitment methods. Many Italian teams have struggled to establish a consistent sense of identity; while Inter has made some progress in this regard, Milan, Napoli, and Juventus have not. Atalanta thrives there, which makes them a highly durable team. This time around as well, La Dea's hiring enabled them to navigate a challenging change successfully. After a disastrous first season at Milan, Charles de Ketelaere was brought in on a temporary loan. After a disappointing and injury-plagued tenure at West Ham, Gianluca Scamacca was signed by Atalanta, who defeated Inter to secure his services.

The employment of Teun Koopmeiners in the last third has brought out the best in the Dutchman, who had a much deeper position the previous season. Koopmeiners has established himself as a versatile player in the middle of the park, demonstrating his ability to control play in midfield while dropping deep and his good eye for a ball. He has 12 goals and 5 assists, and teams like Juventus and Liverpool have taken notice of him mostly because of his versatility.

Even though Scamacca and De Ketelaere have both experienced remarkable comebacks and have combined for 21 goals in Serie A, many people were struck by the Italian's performance at Anfield versus Liverpool. As a fox in the box, De Ketelaere enjoys taking on defenders, but Scamacca is more of a full-fledged center-forward. The former Sassuolo player can produce the last ball, holds up the ball exceptionally well, and has a great touch. Simultaneously, Ederson, a midfielder from Brazil, has advanced and flourished playing two roles in the center of the pitch.

Despite his six goals, the 24-year-old scores in the 69th percentile for defensive actions since he is an important connection between the midfield and the attack. He has more than successfully taken Remo Freuler's place, who left for Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022 and is currently enjoying success in Bologna. Similar to Koopmeiners, Ederson has been connected to Premier League teams and is a prime illustration of how La Dea functions. They are poised to profit from the Brazilian, who had signed from Salernitana in the summer of 2022. Merih Demiral was another to leave Atlanta in 2023, traveling to Saudi Arabia. 

Even though Atalanta had to wait six months to replace him, they appear to have done it flawlessly. center-back Isak Hien moved from Verona to January, despite Atalanta's futile summertime attempts to sign him. In the second part of the season, the Swede—who only cost €9 million—has shown himself to be one of their greatest performers. 

It was more than just a token signature. This is not only because Gasperini spent months scouting him before he signed, but also because he is a fantastic fit for the high-line arrangement. 

Similar to Demiral, Hien is one of the top defenders in Serie A because to his excellent turn of speed during recoveries and keen sense of the game. He provides strong upside on the ball and is a proactive player. The move is just what one would anticipate from the Bergamischi—cheap, appropriate for Gasperini's strategy, and young enough to turn a profit down the road. To some extent, Atalanta's identity is derived on their unwavering style of play. After all, because of their budgetary limitations, many Italian clubs hire well. 

However, none of them have a distinct tactical identity, and Gasperini's ongoing attendance at the Gewiss Stadium has aided Atalanta in that regard. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding Atalanta, they face the most formidable team in Europe on Wednesday, and it would be their toughest test of the year. It would also be another opportunity to see how well Atalanta can adjust to changing circumstances. They produced nothing noteworthy during their lackluster effort against Juventus in the Coppa Italia final, which is quite unusual. 

This makes Gasperini's Europa League final in Dublin all the more difficult to overcome since he is set in his ways and there has always been doubt about his ability to change when it matters most. Leverkusen, under Xabi Alonso, has demonstrated that they are always adapting. For Atalanta, who may have to say goodbye to Gasperini in the summer, this makes the task much more difficult. Even if they lose the Cup final again, Atalanta can always be counted on to respond, to always bounce back, and to always be able to do so because of who they are.

Blame was being directed on America even before Iran's army chief, Mohammad Bagheri, ordered an investigation into the chopper accident that claimed the lives of two of the Islamic Republic's most prominent lawmakers. 

Former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif angrily said on Iran's state TV, "One of the causes of this heartbreaking incident is the United States, which by sanctioning the sale of the aviation industry to Iran caused the martyrdom of the president and his companions." President Ebrahim Raisi's body was being carefully carried from the crash site. The Iranian people will never forget the US's atrocity, and neither will history. The accusations were promptly brushed off by US authorities as "baseless." 

The Bell 212 helicopter, built in the Vietnam War and built by the United States, might have crashed for a variety of causes. Among these include human mistakes or poor maintenance in the thick fog. Although preliminary reports indicated that the accident was caused by foggy weather, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu has stated that it is too soon to speculate on the reason for the incident. 

However, given that three helicopters were utilized that day to transport the team to the dam opening on the Azerbaijani border, why would Iran take a chance with its president and foreign minister riding in the same one? 

Visibility was fair on Sunday morning as Raisi disembarked from the helicopter at the Qiz Ghal'e dam, accompanied by his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the province governor Malek Rahmati, and the powerful Imam of Friday prayers in Tabriz, Mohammed Ali Alehashem. At their border, on the bridge spanning the placid waters of the Aras River in the center of the dam, Raisi shook hands with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyav under a bright sun.

 It appeared that the day was off to a terrific start. The two countries' formerly chilly relations seemed to be improving. The weather was getting worse on the path that the flight crew had chosen to take them to the president's jet, which was waiting in the regional center of Tabriz. Even though the periodic rains had stopped, a new weather front was approaching.  Chilly and damp. The direct flight path's rough, isolated, and merciless 1,800-meter (5,900-foot) peaks were surrounded by growing fog.

First of all, it would have been safer to choose a different route or a diversion around the mountain range rather than flying into the mountains. The next query may be, "Why was the foreign minister and president in the same aircraft when they knew the weather was bad and there were three helicopters on the trip?" The accident also demonstrated Iran's lack of preparedness for such a disaster. Although they appeared to have an abundance of labor, their lack of proper technology was a hindrance. During the night, a large number of medical personnel, mountaineers, police officers, and even members of the elite Revolutionary Guard Corps searched the deep ravines and high mountain summits. However, it was the Turkish drone AKINCI, which was flying in loops above the clouds, that made the initial discovery.

It didn't seem like they had a basic surveillance drone that could do the job for a country that manufactures, uses, and exports long-range killer drones to nations like Russia for its war in Ukraine, and non-state actors like the Iraqi militia and Yemen's Houthis, who are currently holding global maritime trade to ransom by targeting ships in the Red Sea. 

Why risk the lives of the president and the foreign minister in an aircraft deemed possibly unstable if, as he alleges, the president's helicopter was hampered by a shortage of high-quality replacement parts as a result of US sanctions? What other options were there for air travel, and if none, then raises the same question even more. 

The presidents of Iran have things to do; they are not idle. A higher focus may have been assigned to planning for better possibilities. Did conceit lead the president's administration or the highest ranks of the armed forces to rely only on luck? Zarif said that Bell 212 maintenance was an expected issue. Although arrogance has always undermined reason, this instance is undoubtedly the most catastrophic for all parties concerned. The underlying irony is that Raisi was instrumental in creating Iran's air of strength, only to discover, when he needed it most, that it was hollow.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has adopted a strict approach to the Bureaux De Change (BDC) operations to tackle the foreign exchange problem.  The minimum capital required of all Tier-1 BDCs is N2 billion, whilst Tier-2 BDCs must boost it to N500 million. With a capital of N35 million, 1,588 authorized BDC operators are present.

Haruna Mustafa, Director of CBN's Financial Policy and Regulation Department, announced the recommendations Wednesday. He said that the new policy was a component of efforts to realign the BDC subsector so that it could effectively fulfill its function in the country's foreign currency market. 

The guidelines, he said, were released after stakeholder discussions came to an end and as part of the CBN's exercise of the authority granted to it by Section 56 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020. 

"Among other things, the guidelines update the AML/CFT/CPF provisions, corporate governance requirements, permissible activities, and financial and licensing requirements for BDCs. They also introduce new categories of BDCs and license requirements." The regulations allow Tier-1 BDCs to operate across the country and Tier-2 BDCs in a single state. 

Subject to the express consent of the CBN, Tier-1 BDC is permitted to operate in all 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It is also required to keep a minimum of one kilometer between its branches and franchisees. 

Additionally, it can monitor its franchisees, who may use the franchisor's name, trademark, branding, technological platform, and legal rendition specifications. A Tier-2 BDC may only operate in one state or the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the new rule, and it may open five branches within a state with the CBN's prior written consent.  It won't be permitted to designate franchisees, and it must keep a minimum of one kilometer between each of its locations. By the standards, BDCs are also permitted to purchase foreign currency from a variety of sources, sell it, establish Naira and foreign currency accounts with commercial or non-interest banks (CNIBs), and work with their bankers to provide prepaid debit cards. 

The rules, which go into effect on June 3, also prohibit commercial, merchant, non-interest, and payment service banks, financial holding companies, and other Financial Institutions (OFIs) from holding BDC licenses. These include International Money Transfer Operators and payment service providers, as well as serving employees of regulated financial services providers and financial service regulatory and supervisory agencies.  Except Business Travel Allowance (BTA), BDCs are no longer permitted to carry out retail sales of foreign currencies to non-individuals, maintain any kind of account for any member of the public, accept any asset for safekeeping or custody, accept deposits from or lend money to members of the public in any currency, or street trade foreign currencies. 

In addition, the BDCs are prohibited from opening or keeping any kind of account with a bank or other financial organization outside of Nigeria without the CBN's prior written consent. Additionally, the key owners, board of directors members, and senior management of the proposed BDC must have passed the "fit and proper" people test to obtain license approval in theory.  "The projected earnings of the planned BDC are reasonable and the funding is coming from reliable sources. "The shareholders' payment for the shares is adequately documented, appropriately receipted and complies with the manner requirements (cash financing is not permitted). 

The bank stated, "Promoters of the proposed BDC shall submit an application for a final licence, accompanied by the supporting documents, within 60 days of the grant of provisional approval." In addition, it is anticipated that the BDCs would complete the integration of their IT infrastructure with the CBN.  Connectivity with the apex bank's extranet gateway (virtual private network) and pertinent systems, including the Financial Analysis (FinA), Tax Identification Number Verification Portal of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Financial Institutions Foreign Exchange Reporting System (FIFX), TRMS, Centralized AML/CFT/CPF Rendition Platform (CARP), and returns rendition system, are all covered by the system integration.

Additionally, it is anticipated that they will complete the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) IT infrastructure integration. Among other IT needs, system integration with NIBSS will include communication with the Bank Verification Number (BVN) database.  Within two years, banks were required to recapitalize by the CBN. The recapitalization plans submitted by the banks last month marked the start of the process. 

The late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi was accused by the US of having "a lot of blood on his hands." Following Raisi's the White House revealed this in a sympathy letter on Monday. In East Azerbaijan, Raisi and a few officials were engaged in a helicopter crash.

According to John Kirby, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, Raisi was in charge of the "atrocious" violations of human rights in Iran and had backed Hamas and other regional proxies. Kirby stated, speaking to reporters, "This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands." "As in any other case, we certainly regret the loss of life in general and offer official condolences as appropriate," Kirby countered.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, had already declared five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi, who lost his life in a helicopter accident, on Monday. A day following Raisi's passing, Khamenei issued an official statement saying, "I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran."

The allegation that the federal government intended to access the pension fund to finance infrastructure projects unlawfully had been refuted. Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, announced after a recent meeting of the federal executive council that the federal government intends to borrow money for infrastructure development in the nation from the pension fund and other locally accessible sources. To leverage local money for national growth, he continued, they are concentrating on utilizing domestic financial resources, especially pension and life insurance assets. Wale Edun has since clarified following the uproar that surrounded the announcement, stating that the federal government has no plans to break the rules governing pension funds. He uttered.

,

"I have observed that rumors are circulating that the federal government intends to obtain the laborers' accumulated savings and pension contributions unlawfully."There is nothing more false than this. Like the majority of the financial sector, the pension business is heavily regulated. The types of investments that pension funds can and cannot make are governed by laws and restrictions. The federal government has no plans whatsoever to cross those boundaries or go beyond those restrictions, which are in place to protect employee pensions. 

"What was announced to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) was that there was an ongoing initiative, involving all the major players in the long-term savings industry, those that handle funds and are available over an extended period, to see how these funds could be used most efficiently, within the legal and regulatory framework, to drive investment in infrastructure, housing, and, of course, to find a way to give Nigerians access to affordable mortgages."In this setting, there is no attempt or thought given to offering less secure assets for accessible investment money, insurance funds, or pension funds.

 "No effort at all to raise the risk or decrease the returns that would otherwise be obtained."It's important to keep in mind that the federal government has the power to guarantee stocks when they are required to provide funds that will spur economic expansion, job creation, and poverty reduction. "The project is a dialogue, a test, and a challenge for the top minds in the financial sector to develop solutions that, while protecting long-term savings, do offer a path that can support the economy." As of March, Nigeria's total assets in pension funds were N19.6 trillion.

A heated argument about reforms to the chamber erupted on Friday, May 17, in parliament, as Taiwanese politicians pushed, attacked, and slapped each other. This happened only days before President-elect Lai Ching-te took office without a parliamentary majority. There have been claims that several members shoved and yelled at one another outside the parliamentary chamber before the activity went onto the parliament floor, even before votes were cast.

After being broken up, the battle resumed in the afternoon. Despite winning the January election, Lai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its majority in parliament. Lai is set to take office on Monday.

Reports state that lawmakers from all three parties participated in the altercation and exchanged allegations over who was at fault. Taiwanese politicians have engaged in combat before. A debate over easing U.S. pork imports led to KMT members tossing pig intestines onto the house floor in 2020.